What is Love?
by Aro's Dancer
Summary: Katsumoto has always lived his life in accordance with the samurai ideal of Bushido. He lives to protect the Emperor no matter what the cost, and he has no regrets. This strange westerner that fights him with so much anger is, at first, a nuisance to him, then a puzzle. As he teaches her the ways his people, he can help but feel that she has something important to teach him aswell.
1. Chapter 1

Last Samurai Fic

**Hey how's everyone doing? I hope you like this fic, it's about one of my favorite movies so I want to do it justice. If you have any questions feel free to message me. Comments are appreciated and flames provide amusement for the writer as well as the general public so if you want to give us all a good laugh be my guest ^.^ So on to the story!**

Chapter 1

Moritsugu Katsumoto sat in a field overlooking his son's village; houses and rice patties were situated quaintly amidst rolling hills. When he looked down upon it, it always filled him with pride. His son was caring for the village of his ancestors well, the crops were good and the people were happy even with the threat of the new westernization weighing heavily on their minds. With every passing year he grew more proud of his only son Nobutada. Nobutada was a strong, honorable boy who liked to laugh and learn. He was diligent in his study of the traditional skills of a samurai such as kendo, iaido, calligraphy, and tea ceremony, though he always preferred kyudo to anything else. His son was now an honorable samurai who brought his family great veneration.

As a father, he wished to see his son married so he might have his own sons and continue his families line, but Katsumoto knew how much of a burden that placed on a young man. When he was Nobutada's age he had lived at the Imperial Court with his father and mother and they had arranged a marriage for him to a girl of no small standing. Her father was a great advisor to the previous Emperor and a wealthy man. The day of their wedding ceremony had been their first meeting. Katsumoto had done his duty to his family and then sent her to live in his father's village. The next time he saw her was at the birth of his son nine months later, she had lived only a day longer and then left this world to be with the Buddha. He had not known her well and he regretted that, but he was eternally grateful to his wife for the son she had given him.

"No," he thought, "I will not force my son into marriage; he can stand to wait a little longer yet. There is no need to make things worse for him during this turbulent time". That reminded Katsumoto why he had come to this spot in the first place, so he closed his eyes and let the sound of the lightly swaying pampas grass lull him into a meditative state. He hoped that it might help him to understand all that was happening in Nihon, all the changes that had been taking place in such a short amount of time.

He meditated for hours still as stone, when all the sudden his peace was broken by a vision of a forest clearing in the foggy hours of dawn. A flag with the emblem of a white tiger swayed as it was swept to and fro. Samurai in full armor slashed and stabbed at the incarnation of the pennant a snarling white tiger. It roared and clawed at its oppressors, and then all Katsumoto could see were its eyes. They were startling blue grey, like a turbulent sea and the fire in those eyes was enough to set a blaze the whole of Nihon. Katsumoto came out of his trance with a jerk, his eyes wide and startled. He had never seen such unnatural eyes before. What could this vision mean? He knew that that Buddha had sent him this message for a reason and that, in time, he would know what that reason was.

**Nihon-Japan Kyudo-Japanese archery**

**Kendo-Japanese sword play iaido-to fight with the Japanese short staff**

**Okay I hope you liked it! I tried to keep Katsumoto as in character as possible. More will be out soon I promise and next time we will get to meet our female lead. Bye-Bye!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

She sat backstage in San Francisco beside Nathan, her only friend. She remembered that she used to have two friends before this whole Little Big Horn thing. She couldn't feel bad for her old superior officer Custer, he had it coming, always marching off without thinking about anything but the glory. Well, now he had it and she wanted to ask if it was worth dying for. But all she could think about was how Zebulon Gant had been with the seventh, with Custer, and now he was dead too. Another thing on her long list of regrets, she should have refused to leave the regiment without him, should have begged him to come with her on this foolish tour of America with the Winchester company. Now it was too late. Vaguely she realized her name was being called from the stage, but she sat back petulantly and ignored the summons like she had in Baltimore and Boston, and her home city of New York before that. Her eyes shifted to Nathan her one remaining friend in this world and she sighed.

His brown eyes were blood shot and down cast, a flask resting on his thigh. This is what war does to people she thought,

'How can anyone live normally after doing and seeing the things we have?' she didn't think it was possible. She wanted to take that flask and throw it in the bay, but she knew that that is the way that Nathan chose to deal with the pain, he would drown himself in drink. Though it wasn't her chosen method, but she tried to understand his way of numbing the pain.

Mr. McCabe came storming into the back room and she looked up at him with a face blank as an empty page. It always unnerved McCabe how she could school her face to show nothing, but right now he was seeing red this is the 4th show in a row that she didn't come when she was called. She maybe a member of the most prominent family in New York society and a Medal of Honor recipient, but she was losing him his credibility.

"That's it your fired, this is your last performance! Now get out there." He yelled at her and yanked her out of her seat. "You too you drunk!" McCabe started pushing them to the stage. The girl bristled, 'how dare he?' No one insulted her friend, she would show him. She steadied Nathan then marched to the stage; McCabe had to run to keep up with her.

"Miss Ariel Savile, Ladies and Gentleman!" he cried leading use across the stage. McCabe shoved the rifle into my hands. Nathan Yelled to the audience to thank Mr. McCabe and then started reading his lines haltingly from a board the stage hand was holding up in the audience section. Suddenly Ariel got an idea.

"Like those poor bastards out there at the Little Big Horn….bodies stripped bare….mutilated….left to rot in the sun." She heard the gasps of outrage from the women in the audience. Letting her anger take the rains. "This ladies and gentleman, the 73 lever action trapper", she started loading the cartridges into the gun "seven shot capacity, accurate up to 400 yards, one round per second. Now son have you seen what this can do to a man?" She addressed this question to a round faced little boy in the front row. When he shook his head she continued. "Why it could blow a hole in your father 6 inches wide, that's right miss." She said smiling at the man's wife who covered her mouth with a handkerchief. "With this beauty you could kill yourself 5, 6, 7 braves without ever having to reload," the men in the assembly were looking at the rifle with wistful eyes and it only served to increase her boiling anger. "note the patented loading port and the smooth cocking action." She spun the rifle in her hands cocking it and aiming it into the crowd at Mr. McCabe. She would never really shoot him but the fear that moved through his eyes was a small revenge for the grief he had caused Nathan about his drinking. He didn't understand, not even she could understand and she had been through almost the same thing. She showed off the shooting that had got her through Gettysburg by aiming at the machine behind the screaming crowd and hot one, two ,three times then rang the bell with a fourth shot, all perfectly aimed. Nathan was trying not to laugh at her antics which wasn't helping the crowds panic. They all probably thought the two Captains were insane. Lowering the rifle she glowered at the crowd, "My thanks on behalf of those who have died for better mechanical amusements and commercial opportunities. Mr. McCabe here will take your orders, God bless you all." She spat the last three words like a curse and threw the rifle to McCabe who was cowering behind the line cards, and swept off the stage. The now laughing Nathan Algren followed behind her.

Nathan practically dragged her out the back door before the guards could give chase. She heard the clapping as soon as she walked through the door.

"I mos' say Cappn' ya' have a flare fer' the ole' mellow drama." She turned to that all too familiar voice and saw the amused Zeb Gant smiling at her. Nathan said something to him but Ariel didn't hear any of it; she was just taking in the face she never thought she would see again. She hadn't been this happy before. She had two friends; Zeb was okay, really okay. She wanted to laugh and cry, but wasn't able to do either because she was so shocked. She focused her attention back on that Scottish brogue as he put an arm around both Algren and her and started towing them down the steep streets on San Fransico,

"yer' man Custer says te' me, were goin' te' the Lil' Big Horn. Says I, what's this we stuff, is' the walkin' ticket fer' me. Nine lives I have, and I'll tell ye' wha' else I have, I have a good job fer' the three o' use. God knows it looks as if ye' gonna' need one real soon boy o' and my lil' lass." Nathan asked what kind of a job he was talking about. "The only job ye' fir fer' boy o', a man's job. No offence lass, but ye' kind o' fit right in with us men, don't ye'?" He looked down at her with a Cheshire grin "unless ye' lookn' fer' a job in the theater?" She couldn't find it in herself to glower at him for that remark but she did send one Nathan's way when he started snickering. The three of them back together again; nothing could ruin her good mood.


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm glad people are liking my story! My goal is to have a new chapter up every day or two and I think it's going pretty well considering how swamped I am with homework. I just had to write a Last Samurai fic because I got discouraged when I could never find one that was complete, so don't worry I will definitely keep this one going at a good pace. I hope you like this chapter and don't forget to review!**

Chapter 3

Ariel dressed in one of her best dresses when she returned to her hotel room. Zeb said this meeting with the potential bosses would have to be handled delicately so she should try to make a good impression. She snorted at the thought of Zeb trying to get Nathan into a nice suit for this meeting and knew that no matter how mad the Scot got at Algren and no matter now he persisted Nathan wouldn't do it. He had always been like that, a country boy at heart. She had no trouble getting dressed up, in fact Ariel loved to wear nice dresses. No one who knew that she snuck off and fought for the Union army at the age of 14, thought she was a very feminine woman but they were wrong. Now at the age of 16, she fit into those dresses she loved so much better than she had when she was a gangly girl of 14. Her mother, Anne, made sure before she left for the tour with Winchester the previous year, she had a new wardrobe. Ariel's family was the most prominent family in all of New York society. Her mother was from the respected Dedham family and her father was the English Earl of Bath, Henry Savile. This made him a bit of a deity in New York. As a wealthy European noble, he was highly respected.

When she had returned after the war her father refused to see her. He said she disobeyed him and no daughter of his would do such a thing. Her mother though gave her a blessing, money, and promised that she would change her husband's mind. That was yet another lose for Ariel. Her Father was her closest confidant all through her childhood and she loved him deeply. Of all the people she thought she could count, on he was the one she knew would always be on her side.

All her young life, she had done what others had told her to do. She was the best pianist, singer, tennis player; you name a woman's accomplishment and she had mastered it. Every girl in New York wanted to be as accomplished as she, as poised and delicate. But Ariel hadn't been happy; she had never felt that she had belonged. She wanted to go somewhere, anywhere. So when the Union army started conscripting she had put her hair up under a hat, taken some of little Tommy Anderson's clothes and raced off to join. Almost as soon as she did she knew it was a mistake. She missed her family terrible and she was scared she would be found out. She was, soon after the first battle by two unlikely characters. To Ariel's surprise, they treated her kindly and taught her to fight as best they could. Algren and Gant had been her closest friends ever since.

Soon she had become a superior marks man and that propelled her through the ranks into the position of Captain, the same rank as Nathan. But the fighting soon took its toll. All she could see when she closed her eyes where the people she killed and the people dying around her. All of them were just fighting for a cause they believed in, just like she was. Why did people have to fight? She could never find an except able answer. When Gettysburg happened and through some miracle of God the three of them lived, she wanted to throw off her cap and be court marshaled right out of this horrible war, but Ariel believed naively that if she was there to watch her friends, nothing could happen to them. Now that she looked back on it she realized how silly she had been, no matter what she did God ruled the lives of men. Zeb and Nathan had been supportive of her through it all; they had kind words when she felt like crying and jokes when she felt she would never smile again. Soon they were out in the prairie looking for Sioux, and she was fascinated by the culture and the people, so fascinated, in fact she started writing down her thoughts and what she learned in a journal.

During her time in the seventh cavalry she learned to dislike her commanding officers Custer and Bagely. They were ruthless and foolhardy. They did things in the name of glory and country that even the devil would be appalled by. And what was worse, she had been a part of it. She could still remember the screams of the women and children of that unsuspecting tribe as the seventh rode through and shot everyone. Massacred. 'No she couldn't think about that now or she would go insane', or maybe she thought 'I might already be'. That had been enough for her; Ariel left the army and went back to New York with Algren. As Ariel took one last look in the mirror before heading out the door to meet Zeb and Nathan, she thought about how happy she would be if only she could forget, and how unjust it would be to those poor people she had murdered if she could.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi again! This is a pretty long chapter, well at least it seemed like it when I was writing it *.* Anyway I hope your enjoying the story so far, happy reading.**

Chapter 4

The waiter led them through an archway right of the door to the main dining hall. As soon as she entered the room Ariel wanted to turn right around, however a hand on her upper arm stopped her retreat.

"Nathan, Ariel!" Nathan glowered at Colonel Bagley who rose from the chair he had previously been occupying and held his hand out to Nathan. "Just listen ta' what yer' man has te' say" asked Zeb as he smiled at the occupants of the room faking joviality. Nathan didn't take Bagley's offered hand, but just continued glowering at him silently. Thwarted in his previous attempt at courtesy, Bagley turned to her and saying "Ariel, it's been a while I'm glad to see you." Ariel said nothing only continued to stare at him so the Colonel turned to the room at large and announced them. She noticed three men at the other side of the parlor. They were dressed very well and were distinctly Asian, she couldn't tell much more than that, other than the shortest one looked to be the leader.

"I'd like you all to meet Mr. Omura from Japan, and his associate whose name I've given up trying to pronounce. Sit down, please." Bagley gestured to the leader Omura, he had called him and then to the other unobtrusive man standing beside him. They both gave a courtly sort of bow and a serene and seemingly insincere smile. She didn't like the looks of Omura and neither did Nathan from the looks of it, as his hostile eyes had passed from Bagley to Omura as soon as his name was mentioned. 'Japan?' Ariel vaguely remembered having heard mention of the place in passing. It was even further east than China and the ports had only been opened to outsiders in 1854.

The waiter pulled out her chair before Bagley thankfully or else she may not have sat down at all thought Ariel as she fumed silently. How dare Zeb bring them here when he knew full well how much they loathed Bagley? Though she couldn't say she wasn't intrigued by these well dressed foreigners. And what had Bagley working with 'savages' was beyond her, as he seemed to show nothing but distain and indifference to the Cheyenne, she would have never believed that he would lower himself to working with a 'heathen' if she wasn't seeing it for herself.

Nathan moved to sit beside her and before his chair had been pulled out he had already ordered a whiskey. Typical.

"Now Japans got it in mind to become a civilized country, and Mr. Omura here is willing to spend what it takes to hire white experts to train their army." There it was the deciding factor for Bagley; of course he was in it for the money. When she could no longer stand to look at the Colonel, Ariel turned to Omura instead. She watched as his beetle black eyes followed Nathan's moves as he picked up the whiskey glass, draining it in two large swallows, then motion for another. For a moment she felt the old shame rise in her, the shame she felt when anyone around her committed, what her mother would call, a social faux pas. Just as quickly as it came she quashed it back down again, now was most certainly not the time.

"And if we play our cards right, the Emperor grants the United States the exclusive right to supply arms."

After a moment Ariel realized that all eyes had turned to her. She paused for a moment, savoring the sight of Bagley squirming in his chair, squirming like the worm he was.

"Well, I have an agreement with the Winchester Company. I'm certain Mr. Omura has some idea of what an agreement is." She was interested to see if he had mastered the language, as he had yet to speak, and though she could have found a nicer way to bait him, Bagley's presents was grating on her nerves. Even though she never raised her voice, Ariel would be the first to say that she did, in fact have a temper. It was just that instead of yelling like a man, her voice got lower and she would start jabbing away at the person that had invoked her wrath. That was the way that a lady made her feelings known, and though she had been dressed as a man for the past few years, she still acted like a lady.

"Your performances for the Winchester Company bring you twenty-five dollars a week; we will pay you four-hundred dollars a month." Ariel saw the shock pass over Zeb's face, and noticed how he cast his eyes to the side to look at her. It seemed she was right in her dislike for Omura. Waving money around was one of the things she most despised about New York society, and that feeling passed to the person that was doing the waving. She was well aware how far four-hundred dollars would get a person in this day and age. It was quite a substantial sum of money, and though she had no need of it, Zeb and Nathan would start getting low on funds soon. The way that Omura was looking at her made with that self assured smirk made her rage grow. It was like he knew he had her right where he wanted her, so she pushed her luck. She smiled her most sickly sweet smile and countered,

"Five, for each. And another five when we get the job done. How many genuine heroes have you got lined up?" Everyone looked at her incredulously, except Omura. He met her eyes unyieldingly because he knew that if he refused it would show he didn't have the power over her that he was accustomed to having over others. That would be a sign of weakness and he would not show this girl any weakness. Omura's associate leaned in and whispered something to him in their language which made Omura smile and return a few words before turning back to her. Ariel felt a hazy pleasure when she saw how strained the smile was. Nathan smirked and called for yet another whiskey while Zeb quickly changed the subject, "So who will we be trainin' yer' boys te' fight?"

"His name is Katsumoto Moritsugu. He was once the Emperor's teacher. He is samurai." Zeb voiced her question,

"Samurai?"

"The word you might use is…warrior." Omura's eyes kept returning to her as each question was answered and it was starting to unnerve her. It seemed as if he thought this might have an effect on her, but why?

"Mr. Omura is familiar with our experiences dealing with renegades."So, Bagley told him that she didn't agree with his belief that all Indians were savage.

"Is he." Ariel's response was sharp and she wished they could cut across the table right into Bagley. Bagley looked condescendingly at her and replied,

"Yes, and he's even read your book." Oh, so she had been wrong before. He didn't just think that she sided with heathens; he knew that the ways of the natives intrigued her. He was smarter than she gave him credit for. Omura thought she would agree because the Japanese had a different culture she knew nothing about and that may be enough to entice her. She picked up her glass of champagne and tasted him from cross the table, and it was as if he knew what she was thinking. That made her dislike him all the more, so she returned her glass to the table without taking a drink.

"Captain Savile's study of the tribes was crucial to our defeat of the Cheyenne." Bagley had leaned into a if he was emphasizing a important point.

Everyone at the table turned a she started to laugh. It was a wonderful sound, but it continued for longer than necessary which prompted Omura to ask what was so funny to her?

"Oh the corps together again is just so…. Inspiring." As the last word died, so did the laughter. It was replaced with a blank stare. She rose to her feet before the waiter could make it to her chair, and placing her napkin back onto the table she articulated, "If you'll excuse me, I've had just about all I can take." And with that she turned and swept from the room. Not a moment later she heard the sound of rushin feet and hoped it was Nathan, but no she wasn't that lucky.

"Ariel, I did what I was ordered to do out there and I have no remorse. So what do you say we put the past behind us?" She wanted so badly to hit Bagley then that she had to dig her fingernails into her palms to suppress the urge.

"You want me to kill Japanese? I'll kill Japanese. You want me to kill the enemies of Japanese? I'll kill the enemies of Japanese. Or Rebs or Sioux or Cheyenne? For five-hundred dollars a month I'll kill whoever you want me to kill. But keep one thing in mind…I'd happily kill you for free." She deadpanned the last and he had blanched because he knew she meant it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

That's how she found herself on a ship to the Japan's. For almost a month she had nothing to occupy her thoughts but all those long bloody battles. At night she couldn't sleep so she would sit at Nathan's bedside and try her best to nurse him through the seasickness he had picked up at first sight of the open ocean. He had been a brother to her for as long as they had known one another, and even though she wanted to crack him over the head with that flask of his sometimes, Ariel also wished that she could take on his burdens for him. They had all been more carefree when they had first met; quick to laugh and smile at the smallest provocation. But those times seemed so far away now; it was like looking at herself though a badly cracked mirror or a dense fog. She still laughed and smiled on occasion, but it was like a shade of her former self. The same was true of Nathan, but good old Zeb seemed like the perpetual optimist she had always wished to be and sometimes it made her rather jealous. She had refused to talk to Zeb for a few days at the beginning of the trip because of the nasty trick he pulled on her with Bagley, but no one could stay mad at Zebulon Gant.

When Nathan was well enough to get up he often wondered around the deck, refusing any offer of company and looking broodingly out at the sea. Day after day she would stand beside him whether he cast a glare her way or not; she wasn't scared of him no matter how surly he could be sometimes. One particularly pink morning, she looked out at the horizon and saw a shape in the distance. The Captain informed them a couple moments later that it was indeed Japan and they should arrive in a few short hours.

Nathan led the way down to the wharf with Zeb and Ariel following behind. Omura and Bagley had separated from them earlier and she was all too happy about that. She had never seen such hustle and bustle on one street before or such oddly dressed people for that matter. The men were wearing what looked like a woman's bathrobe with a belt of some kind around their waists and strange high heel shoes with no coverings. For a moment she got caught up in the strangeness of it all. The people looked so different, all with dark black hair and almond shaped black eyes. It was so different yet so similar to the dock they embarked on in San Francisco, there hadn't been so many people, but their tasks seemed similar. How she wished she had a notebook to write it all down.

Ariel felt someone grab her arm and she whipped around only to see Nathan pulling her toward a heavy set man in a white suit that was waving and calling out Nathan's name.

"Captain Algren I presume? And Lady Savile?" Nathan answered in the affirmative and she nodded, rather startled that he had called her by her formal title, but he was British after all.

"Oh jolly good. I'm Simon Graham. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance Captain Algren." He shook Nathan's hand vigorously with a smile on his ruddy face, and then he turned to her.

"Mr. Graham. I'm honored to meet you, my Lady." He bowed before her like her father sometimes did for her mother. She reached out her hand for him to kiss automatically like her father had taught her so many years ago and replied,

"The honor is mine Mr. Graham. This is Sergeant Zebulon Gant"

He smiled back at her and returned her hand. She could hear Nathan and Zeb coughing back laughter beside her, but she did her best to ignore them. Mr. Graham turned to Zeb and introduced himself again then proceeding to talk about finding some transportation. Mr. Graham led them to a odd looking cart type thing that he called a rickshaw. He hired two one for Mr. Graham, Nathan, and her and another for Zeb and their bags. It was a tight fit as Mr. Graham was rather large and Nathan was broad shouldered, but we managed. Ariel felt bad for the poor man that had to pull the heavy rickshaw though.

From then on she only caught snatched of the conversation between Nathan and Mr. Graham because she was so enthralled by the people all around her. The part about the samurai caught her attention. How they believed things were changing to fast and how the ancient and the modern were at war for the soul of Japan. And how Mr. Graham had an unfortunate tendency to tell the truth in a country where no one ever says what they mean. She wondered what he could mean by that? Did people lie often here? She would ask him to explain later. Ariel noticed that the European's and American's stood out from the crowd of Japanese because of their height. Most of the Japanese people were short like Omura. 'Good' she thought, 'I'll fit right in with them'. She knew she was rather short at 5 foot 2 and most people made her feel like a dwarf. She looked to the side and saw woman in brightly colored strange dresses with wide belts like what the men wore. The dresses were beautiful, standing out against the women's pale skin and accentuating their figures. Ariel wished for a moment to exchange her tight corset and wide bustle for that exquisite draped dress, but ladies did not wear such things, so she quelled the notion. Many Japanese men walked by wearing the suit and hat of an American gentleman, rather like the ones Omura wore. An old woman holding what seemed to be unions or garlic waved the cloves at us as we passed smiling a friendly smile and speaking quickly in Japanese. Ariel saw an odd looking box being carried along the road by four men. As she looked at it a window on the side of it slide open to reveal the most exquisite face she had ever seen. The woman's feature were gentle and her dark eyes and red lips stood out against the white makeup she was wearing. Her hair, ebony black like a raven's wing reflected the light, hair ornaments complemented the foreign style. Their eyes met for only a moment before the window slide shut again, and the woman was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Mr. Graham brought them to a house where they would be staying while they were in Edo, which she had learned was the capital of Japan and were they were now. She was told that she had to change quickly into her Captain's uniform so that she could go to the Imperial Palace. Ariel was shocked to say the least. Why were they going to the Imperial Palace? She threw her uniform on making sure everything was in order as quickly as possible. Just as she was about to leave the room, she realized her hair was up in a coiffure that wouldn't fit under the hat she wore, but before she had a chance to fix it Mr. Graham knocked on her door frame and begged her to hurry up, he didn't want to be late see the Emperor. She threw the hat down on her bag and flew through the door to meet Nathan and Mr. Graham.

They got to the palace and she looked up at the imposing set of stairs that lay ahead and the huge castle waiting at the top. To her chagrin, Colonel Bagley was waiting for them there. As they started ascending the stairs, it became apparent that Mr. Graham didn't get out much he was huffing and puffing before he got half way to the top.

"For two-thousand years no Emperor was even seen by a commoner. You have to realize what an absolute treat this is, what an honor. It's all highly ritualized, of course. You may look at him, but don't speak, unless spoken to, obviously. If he stands you must bow; if he bows you must bow lower. Do I look presentable? I haven't worn this in a decade. It's rather snug around the midriff." She was surprised he didn't pass out from having to talk and walk up the steps at the same time, as there were about a thousand of them. As for his suit jacket, the buttons looked ready to pop off at any second and his top hat had been the fashion ten years ago, but if he would stop fidgeting, he would look fine.

When they arrived at the audience chamber, there wear three men on each side of the walk way and two men in formal garb at the end of the row, standing next to them was Omura. At the very end of the room there was a dais with a chair sat atop it. It was shrouded in shadow by a canopy made of fine silk. They bowed twice as they approached the chair, at Mr. Graham's instruction. When they arrived at the end Omura bowed and said,

"The divine Emperor Meiji bids you welcome. He is grateful for the assistance your country offers." Ariel wasn't paying as much attention as she should have been. She was trying to get a good look at the Emperor who was hidden in the shadows. Suddenly he spoke in a rather higher voice than what she had been expecting. He spoke to Omura in quick Japanese. When they were finished Omura turned and translated,

"The Emperor is most interested in you American Indians, if you have fought against them in battle."

Ariel looked down as that subject was broached. She could never speak about it easily, if at all. Bagley tried to answer the question, but the Emperor cut him off and addressed another series of questions to Omura for translation. This time Ariel looked up, as she had distinctly heard her name mixed in with the Japanese. Omura began again,

"The Emperor wished to as Captain Savile if it is true they wear eagle feathers and paint their faces before going into battle, and that they have no fear."

For a moment all was tense in the room. The eyes of Bagley and Nathan turned towards her gauging her reaction. She looked thoughtfully at the dark figure and then answered,

"They are very brave."

Nathan noticed the grim determination in her eyes as she spoke, he knew it was hard for her to think about any of their friends, but he knew she was strong, that she could grin and bear it like he never could.

Mr. Graham had just finished translating when all of a sudden; the Emperor stood and made his way out from under the canopy. Ariel remembered to bow like Mr. Graham told them to on the steps outside, but she couldn't help but peek up at him through her lashes, just to see what he looked like. As he stepped from the shadow, she saw how very young he looked. His face was smooth with no wrinkle or laugh lines to speak of, and his attire was a formal American suit like Omura's. Ariel could have sworn he caught her looking even though she had tried to be extremely discreet about it. He stood very straight and spoke in near perfect English,

"Thank you very much."

After this he bowed and calmly walked back up under the cover to the chair. Mr. Graham instructed them on the proper ritual of leaving the Emperors audience chamber, and then they were lead to the army training ground to start the instructing the conscripts.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Right, you lil' Bastards! Yer' will stand up straight or I will personally shit kick ever fer' eastern buttock that appears before me' eyes!" Zeb yelled at the soldiers milling around in the field. Every single person stood straight backed and stock still though they understood nothing he said. Nathan turned to him and almost smiled,

"Well done Sergeant."

Zeb smiled and winked at Ariel behind Nathans back.

"When ye' know a language sir, everythin' falls inta' place."

Her lips twitched, but she managed to keep a straight face. She knew she had to be the best of none of these men would respect her; it was the same no matter what country you were in really. Men didn't want women to lead them especially in war. She spent weeks teaching the men the basics of military training. Most of them were peasants who had never even seen a gun. Not only did she teach the foot soldiers, she also taught the drills and formations to the other high ranking officer. Mr. Graham was always at her side eager to help anyway he could. Before long he started to grow on her, he reminded her of a dotting worried Uncle, but she liked him none the less. When she had time, she would generally be trying to figure out the samurai's battle tactics from books Mr. Graham translated or helping the officers with their English. She had hardly slept since leaving San Francisco and she was starting to feel the ill effects. When she did manage an hour or two of sleep the nightmares would wake her. They were worse than ever in this alien land, and she didn't know what to do to make them stop.

Shortly after she began teaching, she met General Hasagawa. When he had first been introduced to her by Mr. Graham, he had surprised her; General Hasagawa was the first man to give her the respect owed to a Captain without testing her or outright disapproving of her. Even Zeb and Nathan treated her more like a child than the skilled officer she was. Though the General was of small stature, he commanded enormous respect. She too couldn't help but be a little in awe of him; his mere presence was like a colossus. They found out why a few weeks into training. Nathan, Ariel, Hasagawa, and Mr. Graham were walking along reviewing the troops when Nathan asked,

"What can General Hasagawa tell me about this man, this samurai, Katsumoto?" Mr. Graham turned to the General and translated. Once his question was answered to the best of the General's ability, Nathan asked another,

"Who supplied their weapons?" Mr. Graham translated that Katsumoto no longer dishonors himself by using firearms. He went on to explain that to the Japanese that honor the old ways Katsumoto is a hero. Ariel looked long and hard at Hasagawa and asked,

"How well does he know his man?" Mr. Graham translated that Hasagawa and Katsumoto fought together for the Emperor and that Hasagawa was a samurai.

Neither Nathan nor Ariel knew what to say, but the pride in Hasagawa's eyes made Ariel remember the Sioux and Cheyenne warriors she had met when she was in the cavalry.

That realization hit her like a ton of bricks; she was destroying yet another way of life and for what? It turned her stomach. She knew too that even though she would be in hell for doing it, she didn't have the will to stop. Ariel felt so tired and alone, even surrounded by all these people. And yet, she couldn't help but think herself a fool. It was like she was on the inside of a cage, desperately trying to reach someone, anyone through the bars, and yet this cage was one of her own design. She had built it to shield herself from the fearsome world outside; it was an impenetrable guard for that small spark of life she still nursed within. She knew that she had Zeb and Nathan, but they just weren't enough. Nathan was hurting just as much if not more than she, and Zeb would only tell her that what's done is done and then laugh and go on as if nothing happened. That was what she had to do too, though she knew it was not a possibility for her, so he would pretend instead. She couldn't worry about herself, there were so many more important things, so for know she will stamp down her feelings. Ariel would continue to be strong, for Nathan and for all of these scared men whose lives depended on her now.


	8. Notice

**Notice**

I'm so sorry that chapter 6 has taken so long, but it is finals week so I was very, very busy. I know that I promised to update every day or two, and I promise that from know one that is how it will be. I'm working on chapter 8 right now and will have it done by tomorrow at the latest so be on the lookout for it. Hopefully these two chapters make up for my long absence. I hope you like the story it's been so much fun to write so far, and we'll be seeing Katsumoto again within a chapter or two. Please keep reading!


	9. Chapter 8

**Hi all! I hope you're liking my story. I've been really into writing today, I blazed through chapter 8 and 9 so I decided I would post them together. This one was so much fun to write the confrontation with Mr. Graham, it's a whole heap of drama with an ounce of reflection. Got to love it. So read on!**

Chapter 8

That night, after they had adjourned to the sitting-room like section of the paper house, Mr. Graham presented her with another stack of freshly translated wood block prints pertaining to the samurai. She sat on one of the low ornately carved chairs and started to read. The art work of the pages was amazing, and truth be told, rather grotesque. All of the samurai looked like evil demons with dramatic scowls and most of the pictures had something to do with blood or battle. However none of the translated pages had much to do with the way the samurai fought.

Zeb trumped over to her and held a rather appetizing looking apple under her nose with a laugh. She looked up at him with questioning eyes,

"I noticed ye havn' been eatn' much o' late lass." Ariel just shook her head and went back to reading. Zeb, though, had never been one to give up very easily.

"It's a nice juicy apple, lass. I had one me self earlier, but I suppose I wo' min' havin' another…" He looked at her with a smile and raised the apple to his mouth, taunting her. Before he was able to take a bite, Ariel had sprung from the chair and snatched it from him. Zeb threw his grey head back and laughed,

"That's wa' I thought." Ariel glowered at him as he turned and walked off to annoy someone else. Most likely it would be Nathan, but Mr. Graham wouldn't be safe either. Ariel seated herself again and then took out her knife so she could eat the apple without having to be indelicate. It wasn't lady like to chomp into an apple like a horse after all. She was poring over the pages again within moments. She knew that it would be imperative to understand the samurai's style of fighting. Know your enemy.

She only caught snatches of conversation, but it seemed Zeb had picked Mr. Graham after all. She heard something about loincloths before she could stand it no longer. There had to be something somewhere that explained the samurai's strategies.

"I need more detailed information about their battle tactics." Mr. Graham assured her that there were more books to be translated, but before he could say anymore Zeb butted in,

" O' da' lass will be speakn' the language in no time. Ye' should hear blatherin' on in Blackfoot." Ariel tried to silence him by sending a fierce glare his way, but he wasn't paying her any mind.

"Oh really a fellow linguist? Oh capital! Oh come on my Lady a word or two in the savage tongue? Hello or goodbye…. Oh no, no, no, no! Cut his tongue out and boil him in oil!" Before that request she had been trying to ignore him, but at that, she looked up with a barely visible anger. Zeb could tell that he had gone too far. She never yelled, but when she was like this, you needed to watch out.

"Earlyday tommora' captn' darln'. It's about bed time isn't it?" Graham cut him off though and continued on, oblivious to her reaction.

"I've always had a dread fascination with scalping. I've never understood its technique." He made a cutting motion with his hands and that was it. She looked him full in the face and stared into his eyes with the kind of look a cat gives the mouse right before it strikes. When he caught her eyes Zeb could tell that Graham still didn't quite comprehend what was coming. When he went to interject, Nathan caught his eyes and shook his head. Nathan knew that Graham needed to know just how far was too far. Ariel set the papers on the table with deliberate slowness,

"Imagine someone who hates you with the utmost intensity grabbin a hand full of your hair while you're lying prostrate and helpless …"at his nerves laugh she stood slowely, blade still in hand, and stocked towards Graham's seat like a tiger, cornering its prey.

"and scraping a dull blade of a rusty knife around your scalp in a saw like motion." She had reached his chair know and the look on Graham's face was one of terrified awe. The hand with the knife raised it to his eye level as she continued her macabre lesson.

"And let your imagination grasp, if you can, Mr. Graham, the effect of strong quick jerk…" Ariel took a hank of his hair in her hand, the knife still raised, poised as if to strike, and she yanked the hair up and away from his scalp. Nathan knew that she wouldn't harm him really, but she did want to give him a lesson, so he let it continue.

"on the turf of your hair to release any clinging particles would have upon your nerve system. And you'll have some idea of how it feels to be scalped….Mr. Graham. " as she finished she let o of her grip on his hair and gently lowered the blade. Graham looked like he was trying not to faint, as he reached up and smoothed out his hair with a trembling hand. Ariel didn't let him look away however as she inquired,

"Now, how soon can you translate those books?" Graham's hand fluttered around uselessly as tried to get his voice under control to reply. After a moment he whispered,

"Right away." Ariel nodded vaguely and returned to her seat.

Nathan noticed her unfocused gaze and knew that she wasn't in the room anymore. She was in that little village, the place he returned to as well. She was far to innocent to have had to see something like that, but it was far too late know, and he knew it was his fault. He should have turned her out of the army, but he foolishly believed he could protect her. The truth was he couldn't even protect himself. These little shows of feeling didn't happen very often with her, she was always the strong one, the one who can hide her feelings and hold everything together. The burden on her shoulders was far too much for a girl like her to have to bear, but she carried it and there was nothing he could do know. When he thought of the smiling child he had first met, he felt like crying. For that sunny kind child that had kept them all smiling through the war, was now a sad cynical shell of her former self.


	10. Chapter 9

**Hello again! This is a deleted scene from the movie, in case you were wondering. I really thought it would enhance the characters understanding of the samurai (or at least the drama ^.^) by adding this. I know I said that we would see Katsumoto soon, but I got kind of carried away by the story so it may be a while longer, sorry. I promise though that I too am eager for Katsumoto and Ariel to meet so I will be posting it by Monday. Please enjoy this chapter! **

Chapter 9

Ariel had no idea why she had agreed to come along on this silly outing. Yes she did. After yet another sleepless night she had found Mr. Graham at her door. He had apologized profusely to her for being out of line the night before. He had pleaded with her to go out into the streets of Edo with him as it would be a good way to learn the ways of the Japanese. She had felt just curious enough, (and bad enough) to agree. Currently she was wondering how watching all these Japanese men walk by in bowler hats and suit coats was going to teacher anything at all about Japanese anything. There was the occasional man or woman in what she was told was traditional dress, or kimono, but this had nothing to do with the samurai or how she was going to best them in battle. Ariel sighed and leaned more heavily against the rather large crate she was standing beside with Nathan, and tried to get a decent breath past the corset she was so tightly woven into. Zeb had taken extreme care to make it as tight as possible and if she wasn't slightly smaller than when they left America, she would have passed out by now.

As it was, she couldn't help looking at the two Japanese women Mr. Graham was currently photographing, with envy. Their kimono seemed light as air compared to the horrible stays and boning of her day dress, not to mention the 3 petticoats and pantalets. Ariel felt awkward and out of place on this small crowded street. The men in western dress would tip their hats admiringly, like at home in New York, but most of the Japanese people that passed would stop to stare like she was some creature at a traveling fair. One of the pretty women Mr. Graham roped into taking a picture had come over and touched the folds of her skirt while muttering some words in her language. Thankfully Mr. Graham had noticed and steered the girl away before explaining to Ariel that the girl though that she was shaped like the dress and that she had no legs. She was surprised, no legs in deed. Ariel caught the girls eye and raised her skirt to show the girl her ankles and the beginnings of calves. The girl looked surprised and then smiled exposing a set of totally black teeth. Ariel smiled back startled, but Mr. Graham just laughed and told her that it was a custom for girls from prominent families and geisha, to paint their teeth black so they would look so yellow against the white of their painted faces. Geisha was another one he had to explain to her.

When Ariel turned back to Nathan, she grimaced when she noticed the flask resting loosely in his hand, but just as she was about to say something she noticed a commotion from the adjoining street. Two men in western dress had blocked the path of another man. This man was very alien to Ariel. He was dressed in some strange garb, it was totally blue and it came out at the shoulders making his upper half look like a triangle. His hair also was very strange. It was ebony black, but it was tied in the back and the tail of it came up to rest on the top of his head. He was looking at the men in a state of obvious disbelief and more than a little anger. Mr. Graham whispered,

"Samurai…"

That would explain the swords at his hip, thought Ariel.

Though she didn't understand much Japanese, it was obvious that the two men were making fun of the samurai. He was not happy. All of a sudden the samurai moved, and in one clean swipe of his sword, he cut of one of the men's heads. There was instant anarchy in the streets with everyone scrambling to get as far away from the samurai as possible. Ariel watched in a state of horrified fascination as the samurai calmly straightened, sheathing his sword, and continued walking as if nothing had happened.

Mr. Graham rushed to her side and tried to get her to back away and bow, but Ariel didn't listen. In fact, she moved out further into the street so the samurai would have to pass by her. She watched as he advanced toward her down the street, staring at him blatantly. She could hear Mr. Graham's panicked squeaks from rather far behind her as the samurai drew nearer. When he was a few feet away, he looked up and noticed her gaze. His dark hostile eyes swept over her, and as he passed beside her, it seemed for a moment he would stop and confront her, but then he broke their eye contact and continued down the street.

Ariel was stunned. So that was a samurai? He was so cold cutting down that stupid man in the street and showing no emotion but anger. Nathan ran up to her and spun her around by the shoulders. What were they supposed to do against a foe like that?

"What the HELL do you think you were doing? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

He shook her around like a rag doll and then pulled her into a hard embrace. When he drew away, he gentle rested his hands on her cheeks,

"What would we do without you, huh?" She gave a small smile and patted his hand lightly. Ariel shook her head and snorted,

"Without me Nathan you would get yourself into even worse trouble than you already do. " Nathan started laughing which made her eyes widen in surprise. It had been alone time since she had heard him laugh. Maybe things weren't as hopeless as she had thought.

**Scary Ujio is so fun! I almost want to write a story for him too! There are so many well developed characters in Last Samurai it makes it easy for an author. I'm working on chapter 10 already so check back soon. Bye-bye! **


	11. Chapter 10

**Hey I'm glad people are still interested in this story, it defiantly helps me stay motivated so I decide to add another chapter tonight instead of waiting. Anyway on to the story!**

Chapter 10

The next day instead of drilling with the conscripts, she decided to see how well they could shoot after this last month of training. She dressed and went to the training field to meet with Nathan and Zeb who were no doubt not there yet. No one was there yet she was sure. It was about 4 in the morning and she had given up on sleep yet again. She couldn't help comparing the samurai from the street to the woodblock art. He did seem very ferocious and bloody, maybe there was more truth to them than she had believed.

By the mid afternoon Ariel had almost given up on target practice with the troops. Not only was the language barrier a difficulty, but none of the men seemed to understand how to aim yet either. Nathan made a comment about how it was good they were firing in the same direction. She understood how it was for these men though. Having never shot a gun in her life before joining the army, she could understand how these men must feel; frustrating and hopelessness were something she had been used to during her target practices. They just needed a little help and it couldn't be good to try to teach 100 men as a group. She spotted a man who was almost finished reloading his rifle, and rounded her way through the others to get to him. He picked the gun up and started to get into position. Ariel gently grasped his elbow to position it in the right angle.

"Rifle butt against the shoulder. " She set the rifle in the right spot as the instructions were being translated. The man nodded.

"Eye, down the sight. Now slowly… oute!" She leaned in to the gun with him as he fired. The man fired the rifle and when the bullet hit it was almost in the middle section of the target. She leaned away from him and he turned to smile at her. She nodded and patted him on the shoulder,

"Well done." as he turned to the others to point out his deed. As she walked away she noticed Bagely and Omura standing with the others a little ways off. Bagely called for her and she grudgingly swept over to meet them.

"Katsumoto's attacked the railroad at the boarded of his province." She looked at him with an exasperated glower. Omura took this as his chance and added,

"We cannot govern a country in which we can't travel freely. He must be stopped now. My railroad is a priority for this country." She looked at him then back at the troops and shook her head,

"They're not ready." Bagley looked at her in disbelief,

"The rebels don't have a single rifle. They're savages with bows and arrows." Ariel raised her eyebrows and countered,

"Whose soul occupation for the last thousand years has been war."

"You have superior firepower and a larger force. I am ordering the regiment to move against the rebel Katsumoto. You will track him down and engage him. "

She whipped around and swept off to the man she had help shoot earlier and told him to load. She continued down the field toward the target.

"Mr. Graham, tell this man to fire at me." Bagley and Omura looked at each other dumbstruck and Graham looked at her and asked,

"I beg your pardon?" As she got to the target she drew her revolver and pointed it at the man.

"Tell this man if he does not shoot me I will kill him." Zeb tried to get her attention, but she was not to be deterred. She aimed the pistol at the man's feet and fired. Everyone cried out, but she continued to stare at Graham. He stood there in shock so long she had to repeat herself,

"Tell him!" Ariel knew that she shouldn't use this pore man as an example to Bagely, but she had to show him that if the troops were scared an under pressure, they wouldn't be able to handle it. She didn't want to see them die. She didn't want to be responsible for it. She was an expert marksman so she was confident she wouldn't hit him either, just scare him. Graham finally was able to translate to the man what she wanted and he shook his head franticly.

"Load!" Her next shot took his hat off. He screamed and started loading hastily. His hands were fumbling with the shot and powder so badly she thought he was going to drop it all over the ground. Graham continued to shout the translation at the man in rushed Japanese.

"Load! Faster!" She took another shot at his feet as he scrambled to finish loading the rifle. He finished, throwing the ram rod to the ground and raising the rifle to his shoulder. In that moment he wasn't as confident in her assumption that he couldn't shoot her, and she realized that a part of her hoped he did shoot her.

"Fire! Fire, Oute!Oute!" She shot once more at his feet before he shot and missed her by a foot. The man almost dropped the rifle afterwards. Ariel lowered her pistol slowely and wondered if it wouldn't have been better if he shot her. Maybe that way she could get a little peace. She trudged back towards the man and patted him on the shoulder lightly as she continued to where Bagely and Omura were standing. She looked Bagely straight in the eye and hissed,

"They're not ready." She shook her head and continued up the hill. When she was almost out of earshot she heard Bagley announce that the regiment would leave tomorrow at 6 in the morning, and she sighed.

**Oh Bagley you idiot…. I hope you enjoyed this chapter more will be coming soon so keep an eye out! See you *.^**


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

She packed all the things she could carry in her bag that night so she didn't have to lay in bed and dwell on the event of the previous day. She had been sitting on her futon when she got a strange feeling that she wouldn't return anytime soon. She shook her head at herself, they wouldn't return because they were going to die. The troops stood absolutely no chance against the samurai. It was going to be another massacre. Ariel knew that they stood no chance of defeating an opponent they knew nothing about. If it was just her life on the line, she realized that it may not have matter as much as it did, but it wasn't just her, it was Nathan and Zeb and all those naïve but kind men. That's why she had to give them the best possible chance. Ariel rummaged around in her bag and pulled out the books Graham had given her, studying them intently one more time. She had to make sure she had gleaned all she could from them.

About an hour before dawn, Ariel put down the last book and signed. There still wasn't enough information for her liking, but there was nothing they could do know. General Hasagawa hadn't been very forthcoming with the things that he knew about samurai strategy, but she didn't fault him for it. If she had to help people she didn't know to defeat her friend then she would be generous with the details either. Ariel stood up and walked to the shoji door pushing back the paper screen, the entrance to the inner garden. This place was so different than anything she was used to. No marble stair cases or portraits on the walls. No big four poster beds or floor to ceiling picture windows overlooking the large English gardens of her father's estates in Bath and Derbyshire. No grand dining room or balcony overlooking the bustling New York street. It was simple and rather small in design with sparse furnishings, but it was an understated beauty. The garden was simple with one small tree and many rocks raked every morning into different patterns. A rock garden, she'd been told. The one thing that was always the same no matter where she went was the noise. Whether it was the rattle of carriage wheel on the cobble stones or people going about their business along the street outside and even the sound of gun and cannon fire, she had never been in a place of complete silence. Maybe that was the reason she had made that poor man shoot at her. Had the never ending din of the world around her become too much? Even when she slept she could not escape it. The nightmares of battles past never ceased, they were always there in her mind the hot smell of smoke and the death knells of the wounded repeating over and over. Ariel just wanted it all to go away. She wanted to lie in the soft blown earth and hear the blissful silence, but that was the coward's way out and she was no coward. She still had people who needed her here. Nathan and Zeb, her Mother and Father, it would hurt them.

Ariel sat down on the wooden porch outside her door and leaned against the support beam watching the leaves of the lone tree swaying in the breeze. Fall never ceased to amaze her. It was so wonderful with its beautiful colors and that's what always seemed so strange to her. It is so beautiful but it's dying. Beauty in death was a strange concept to her as a child; she had never understood and she still couldn't. Ariel thought about her childhood thought, she supposed, she could still be considered a child at 16. Before she ran away to the war, she had been a happy child. She couldn't remember a time when she wasn't laughing and smiling and everything had come easy to her. As she got older however, she remembered feeling more and more out of place, like God had made a mistake sending her to New York. Every day she prayed for God to tell her what to do, and one day she found a draft flyer on her usual seat on the pew. She believed once that it was God helping her find her place in the world sending her off to the war and one day she would realize that the place she had come to was the place she was meant to be. After 3 long years of searching she still felt like a ship lost at sea, but maybe there was no place for her at all Ariel thought, maybe I'll wonder from place to place for the rest of my life not belonging anywhere. Then she remembered that in the next few days she might not have to worry about anything anymore. None of them would have to.

The next day the troops marched out of the field on the way to place Katsumoto had been seen last. Mr. Graham rode beside her the whole way babbling on about this and that. The camped that night and started again early in the morning. Not too long after they began, they came to a burning town. Ariel didn't know what to make of it. Did the rebels set the blaze? Mr. Graham told her that Omura's men had set it because the town was in the way of the tracks they were laying, and as she watched all the sad faces of the town's people she hated Omura even more. Mr. Graham told her that once Omura got rid of the samurai, he would own all of the railroad and the land and then asked how we would fine Katsumoto.

"Don't worry. I assure you , he'll fine us."

**Next chapter is the battle scene so tune in next week, same bat time same bat channel. (Jk look again tomorrow for another update.)**


	13. The battle Ariel POV

**Hey sorry I dint' post sooner, but my account was not cooperating. I'm posting one chapter tody cause the battle scene is really long. Next up is Katsumoto, wooowhooo! **

Chapter 12

After only one more day of marching, they came to a dense forest in which they had to camp. It was very eerie there and no one got much sleep and to top it off in the morning, the samurai army arrived. There was a scramble of troops trying to get into formations amongst the trees. After Ariel finished getting the troops into line she looked around and noticed that General Hasagawa was nowhere to be found. She yelled to Mr. Graham asking where he had gone to and Graham informed her that he wouldn't fight Katsumoto. She fumed about that, but forgot her anger quickly in the face of the battle. Bagely rode up to the front yelling at her and Nathan,

"Captain's we're not here as combatants!" Nathan looked at Bagley with hard eyes,

"Then who's going to lead these men!" Bagley glowered at Nathan and yelled back,

"Their own officers for Christ's sake! Now get to the rear both of you!" Ariel snored and shook her head,

"We'll be there presently." She gave Bagley one last scathing glare and rode off with Nathan to fine Zeb. Her horse could sense the fear in all the people around him and nickered nervously. She patted him and then noticed Zeb on foot and still on the front line. Nathan shouted for the men to fix the bayonets and the Japanese officer repeated it so soon all weapons were ready for the upcoming fight. Ariel rode over to speak to Zeb,

"Sergeant Gant report to the rear. See to the disposition of the supply trains." He picked up a rifle and loaded it deftly, but didn't acknowledge her order.

"Sergeant Gant did you hear my order?!" She shouted over the din. He didn't look to her but replied,

"I did indeed lass."

"Good. Then you will obey it. Now!" She yelled at him and he looked at her with amusement,

"No disrespect intended lass, but shov' it up yer ass." He looked back out toward were the samurai would come from and cocked the rifle. She glared at him, but before Ariel could take the subject up again, there was a strange sound from across the field. It was almost like a bulge, but not as crisp and clear. She searched the thick mist with her eyes, but saw nothing. Of course this of all battles had to be in the early morning and obscured by a thick fog. She waited a moment more and hearing nothing cried,

"Load!" The troops struggled to load their rifles with shaking hands and then, out of the mist, there was a chorus of battle cries and the bugle like instrument sounded again. Every single man froze. Ariel was the first to recover reaching up to yank her hat down more firmly over her long hair. She could hear the advancing horses hoof beats and snorts they echoed so well in this forest. The Japanese officer that she had been having enlish lessons with looked up at her with fearful eyes and whispered,

"Samurai come!" She couldn't tell him that they most likely wouldn't survive this so she tried to look reassuring and said,

"We'll be fine, you'll see." She looked back up and through the mist she saw ghastly shapes on horseback galloping towards them. If she hadn't read the books about the samurai armor, for that is what the shapes were, she would have thought them some sort of demons coming to drag them to hell.

"Assume firing position! " Ariel's order was echoed by Zeb and the Japanese officer and the men hurried to get into position. She knew the armor would be hard to penetrate and the men still weren't very good shots so she knew they needed to wait to the very last second before firing.

"Fire on my order only!" She felt fear rip her like a vise. After all of the battle she had fought Ariel didn't know how she could still be scared, but like in previous fights she stamped it down and waited breathlessly for their adversaries to come within range.

Seconds seemed like hours as the samurai advanced on them, and then, she heard the sound that heralded their doom. A single shot was fired at the wall of samurai, but it was enough. The terrified men fired randomly into the crowd of samurai and not one was even injured. Ariel knew then it was over for them. They were all going to die here, just as she had predicted. She had never been one to give up though so she tried feudally to take control of the situation.

"Hold your fire!" It was too late for that however, nearly all the men had discharged their weapons.

"Reload!" She slipped her pistol from her shoulder holster cocking it and sent up a silent prayer for God's help. Looking to her left she realized that the men were jumbling together or trying to retreat.

"Hold the lines!" She was desperate to get them back into position. If she didn't there was no hope.

"Fire at will!" The samurai were too close now, they were going to be over run and slaughtered. Ariel raised her pistol aiming at the closest samurai; she knocked him off balance, and sent him tumbling to the ground. She shot five more times, hitting her target with every shot. Wheeling her horse around she saw the Japanese lieutenant trying franticly to keep the men from fleeing. Ariel knew that the only option left for them now was to retreat, and with the samurai so close even that may not be enough.

"Lieutenant, fall back!" He met her eyes and nodded shouting the retreat and running away with the others. Now she could focus on keeping herself alive and finding Nathan and Zeb. While firing into the din, Ariel's eyes swept the field before finally noticing her two friends a few yards away. A samurai started galloping toward her with deadly intent and cocking her gun once more, she heard the click that signified an empty weapon. Without a thought, she tossed it to the ground and drew her saber, blocking the man's spear and slashing him across the chest. Ariel continued to fight her way to Zeb and Nathan but it was a maddeningly slow process. She cut down man after man, but there were just too many. They had to get away.

It was too late. Ariel's eyes slide to Nathan and Zeb and she saw a rider in red armor headed straight for them. She watched in dumb horror as the warrior thrust his spear through Zeb's chest. Ariel realized numbly that she was screaming as she pushed her way through the samurai. She could do nothing but watch as the red warrior drove his sword through Zeb as he lay helpless on the ground. In that moment she vowed that if it was the last thing she ever did, she would kill the samurai who took her friend from her.

Her horse gave a terrified cry as a samurai on foot tried to reach her with his spear. It rose onto its hind legs to escape the man, and in that same moment a mounted samurai collided with them. Ariel and the horse were thrown to the ground with the spear wielding foot soldier still right beside them. Ariel scrambled through the dirt searching for anything to use as a weapon having lost her sword in the fall. She could hear the samurai right behind her ready to strike when her hands closed around the butt of a rifle. Without thinking she jumped to her feet and rounded on the man stabbing him in the chest with the rifles fixed bayonet. There was no time to think as yet another samurai rode at her spear aimed at her heart. Ariel sidestepped the galloping horse and took a hold of the end of the spear, flipping the man from his horse and gaining another weapon. She quickly found a better hold on the spear, though it was still much too long and cumbersome to prove to her a very practice weapon, but she supposed there was nothing practical about this.

Samurai surrounded her on all sides as she fought to keep them at bay. She spun, parrying their thrusts and trying to drive them back, but it was no use. One samurai caught her off guard and stabbed her through the shoulder. Searing pain took hold of her as she sent him sailing backwards with her next blow. She had only ever been wounded once. A gunshot through her thigh had been extremely painful, but it was nothing to the white hot pain now. While she was distracted another samurai took the chance to hit her in face with side of his spear. Ariel felt the world spin, but she was desperate not to die. She fought through it, sending man after man to the ground as she spun the spear around her like a shield. By now her instinces had taken over all she could think of was how she had to stay alive to find Nathan and to avenge Zeb's death. Soon a group of twenty or more samurai had formed around her, but she continued to hold them back and keep standing, whether from skill or shear will power she couldn't tell.

As the strain weighed on her, she let one get to close and she felt that same blinding pain from before strike her side. She knocked her assailer back once again, but she was finding it increasingly difficult to see straight. Ariel lost her balance and fell to one knee still forcing the men back with the spear, but she knew that it was almost over now. The noises of battle had faded so even if by some miracle of God she could break away from these men and find Nathan, they would never be able to get away.

Ariel felt the strength leave her as she collapsed to her hands and knees, still trying urgently to stay conscious. She was barely able to raise her head when she heard the sound of advancing footsteps. Her eyes rose slowly to the samurai before her and she was shocked and more than a little pleased when she saw him. The red samurai. He spoke something in Japanese to the others and then raised his sword for the killing blow. With a monumentous effort, Ariel pushed herself to her knees and stared the man straight in the eyes. As he swung the sword down and at her throat, she shoved the spear out in front of her to parry the blow. The man howled in rage and kicked her onto her back.

There she lay in excruciation pain, waiting for her change. If this man managed to kill her she would not die alone. Discreetly her hand tightened over one half of the severed spear and she waited. Just as she suspected the samurai shifted to stand over her and raised his sword for the strike. For a moment she stared into his dark eyes and then, she plunged the jagged end of the spear fragment into his exposed neck. She watched him crumple to the ground with grim satisfaction. 'That was for Zeb.'

**I hope it wasn't too angsty for you, I did my best. Check back tomorrow, I'm almost done with chapter 13. See ya!**


	14. Katsumoto

**Hi I hope this chapter is okay, writing for Katsumoto again was a little challenging after so long, so I hope he's not too ooc for you. Anyway read and review!**

Chapter 13

Katsumoto rode with his retainers to the forefront of the field ready to call the men back. He didn't want them to pursue the retreating army too far for fear of a trap. He had just reached a clearing when he noticed a group of men circling someone with a raised spear. The person effortlessly held off at least twenty of his warriors as though they were small children. He signaled for his men to dismount as he slid from his horse for a better view of the formidable man. Ujio came toward him as if to speak, but Katsumoto was too entranced by the scene before him to notice. The fierce warrior was not but a child, and a tiny child at that. He could not be more than 14 years old but he fought with the strength of 10 men. His movements were fluid and graceful like a predator's as he danced around forcing the men back.

As Katsumoto drew closer, he could see the boy more clearly. It was then that he noticed the boy's eyes. He stood paralyzed, eyes wide with shock. Katsumoto had seen those eyes before; they were the eyes of the tiger from his vision. There was no mistake they were the blazing eyes of the white tiger. So this was his vision coming to pass, the misty forest and the spear with the tiger pennant flashed back and forth before the small boy. How could this be? Katsumoto didn't understand what a foreign child could have to do with him. He watched, as if in a trance, as the boy snarled and slashed at his oppressors trying to understand what Buddha could mean by this. Katsumoto noticed the boys movements start to slow as he left more openings for the samurai around him. The child was stabbed twice and continued to fight for a time before falling to the ground. Hirotoro advanced on the boy and told the others to leave the child to him. Katsumoto felt a sudden urge to call a stop to it, but he forced it back and waited to see what would happen. Hirotoro tried to cut the child but to the surprise of all present, the foreigner parried the blow with the spear. Hirotoro kicked him to the ground and raised his sword to strike again, but before he could move, the boy had shoved the spear through his neck. Katsumoto started forward again this time to intervene. The child had bested one of his most skilled samurai in two strikes. Buddha must have sent this boy to them for a reason and he intended to find out why. Katsumoto called for the samurai to stop as he weaved through them to the boy's side. He looked down at the unconscious boy's face, slack and peaceful in sleep. They would take him to the village. If nothing else Katsumoto thought, they could learn about this new enemy.

**A little short I know, but I'll be posting another chapter too so I don't short change you guys. Next is a little of both characters perspectives. See ya!**


	15. The aftermath

**Hey again! Dark Alana had a good question. Ariel is 16 at this point in time just in case anyone else is unclear. I wrote this chapter using both characters pov and the changes back and forth are clear to me, but if you want me to add a note in the text were the pov changes I can, just let me know what you think. Thank you!**

Chapter 14

When Ariel woke, the terrible pain returned full force. She felt like she was dying and what was more, she was on horseback being lead through the forest. She could see the back of a samurai's armor on the horse in front of her with her horses reigns tied to his saddle. She raised her aching head to search the party for any sign of Nathan. Ariel prayed to God that he was still alive. Her fear was assuaged when she noticed him two horses in front of her also tied to a horse and not looking too good. She wanted to run to him and embrace him, but even if the samurai would let her and she knew they wouldn't, she didn't; think that she would be able to stand at all. Ariel looked to her left and spotted a large group of men standing around General Hasagawa, who was kneeling facing away from her. One of the samurai walked over behind him and drew his sword. A second latter the general's head was rolling across the ground, and she knew no more.

Katsumoto allowed his men to lead Hasagawa-san before him in this small open space alone the road. He knew what Hasagawa would want for him and he knew he was duty bound to see it done. Seppuku was an honorable way to die, and though he was sad for his friend, Hasagawa-san had been shamed in defeat and this was the only way to salvage his honor. Honor was everything to a samurai and Katsumoto intended to show his respect by helping Hasagawa regain his honor.

Hasagawa-san appeared on the other side of the clearing flanked by samurai. These men, like Katsumoto, wished to honor Hasagawa-san by being present for the ritual. Katsumoto bowed formally to Hasagawa-san and stepped back politely to allow him space. Hasagawa bowed back and crossed the clearing to kneel before Katsumoto, followed by the samurai who knelt a little ways away. Katsumoto unsheathed his katana and held the blade of it out to Ujio who purified it with water as was custom. Katsumoto bowed in solemn respect and took his place behind Hasagawa-san. Hasagawa parted his shirt and raised his tanto out before his stomach. Katsumoto readied himself for the strike; he did not wish for Hasagawa-san to suffer any more pain than necessary, he knew he had to be quick. Hasagawa-san plunged the blade into his stomach then Katsumoto brought his katana down in one quick movement and it was over. They all bowed to Hasagawa-san's body respectfully and moved away to see to their respective duties. Katsumoto sighed as he cleaned and purified his katana. Hasagawa-san was a good man in life, a good samurai. He had been ready for this to happen just as he had been ready for his own death. Katsumoto knew that one of them was destined to die in this battle because defeat was too much for a samurai to endure, and if the Emperor's army had bested him he knew he would have requested the same death as Hasagawa-san.

**Another chapter will be poster tomorrow afternoon so keep checking back! I hope your still enjoying the story. **


	16. Revelations

**Hey I'm so sorry about the wait, but for some reason my account is being really touchy lately it wouldn't let my post anything new. I finally got on though so I hope this chapter makes up for it. I will be posting as much as the account problem will permit so keep your fingers crossed that it works okay from now on!**

Chapter 15

Ariel could feel her wounds tear open further as she was wrenched off her horse and dragged across the rocky ground. The two samurai forced her to her knees and stepped back hands on their swords in case she tried to run. She wanted to laugh at that absurd thought. How could she run? She felt like she could barely breathe through the pain. 'All this and my hat is still on' she thought wryly. Absentmindedly Ariel reached up to straighten her cap. She realized too late that that was not such a good idea. Spots started to swim in increasing rapidity before her eyes and coherent thought was beginning to become a challenge, and then she heard a voice. It was deep and smooth, thrumming though her like a vibration. He was speaking English, but no matter how hard she tied to hold onto the words they slipped away like water through her fingers. Ariel's vision was suddenly obscured by a samurai clad in black armor. She realized with a start that it was the samurai from the street, the one who had cut off the man's head. His eyes where burning black pits as he glowered at her, yelling in his language. His snappish words and haughty demeanor really rubbed her the wrong way, and his voice, unlike the voice from before, made her head ache fiercely so Ariel didn't even try to tell him that she couldn't understand. Meeting his scowl with a cold stare she waited for him to make a move, and he didn't disappoint. In a single fluid movement, he drew his sword and brought it against her neck. Ariel continued staring at him making no move; she knew that if he was going to kill her she was not going to give him the satisfaction of thinking she was afraid because she wasn't. He slid the sword along her neck, making a very shallow cut and almost daring her to move.

That voice from before spoke again and the black samurai grudgingly lowered his sword. Knowing that it would make the man angry, Ariel lowered her eyes, effectively dismissing him. A rude gesture, she knew, and that was the point after all. His anger amused her. The voice spoke again and through the haze clouding her mind Ariel realized it was addressing her. There was nothing she could do however, her vision was fading and she knew that it would be a miracle if she could stay awake even a moment longer. Her mind registered when her back hit the dirt and then she closed her eyes and let sleep take her.

Katsumoto couldn't contain his annoyance at the boy's behavior. Ignoring someone, even an enemy was intolerably discourteous. As he walked on the path to his sister's house he knew he had to put thoughts of the boy aside even if he was angry at the his rudeness. His sister deserved his full attention especially at a time such as this. He did not want to have to see the sadness in Taka's eyes when he tells her about Hirotoro's death. It was a good death, but she would still grieve; he knew woman had a harder time understanding the ways of Bushido. It would be even harder to tell her he intended for her to care for the boy and his companion. He reached the engawa of Taka's home and knelt to remove his boots before stepping up onto it and proceeding on into the house.

As soon as Katsumoto say her face he knew she had noticed the absence of her husband in the procession that rode into the village. She turned her face away from him to hide her tears as she bowed in greeting. Katsumoto knew his sister had married Hirotoro because their father had wished it, but they had become friends after the ten years they had been married. He reached out and laid his hand on her shoulder.

"It was a good death sister, do not despair." She nodded but he could tell that she was still in pain. Higen came running into the room smiling, Magojiro padding along behind him. Katsumoto forced himself to smile and bow to the boys, but Higen had seen his mother's tears and knew what had happened. He turned and taking Magojiro's hand walked back out of the room. Taka went to follow them, but he tightened his grip on her shoulder. She turned questioning eyes to him and he told her of the American men and that she would be the one responsible for their care. She looked at him in disbelief and cried,

"Nii-sama, you dishonor me! I will not care for the man that killed my husband." Katsumoto looked her in the eyes and ordered,

"You will do as I tell you sister. I will have them brought over, they need medical attention." She tried to stand up to him, but a moment later she lowered her eyes and nodded. He nodded and bowed turning to the door. Katsumoto felt bad for laying this responsibility on his sister, but he knew that she would do as he said and under her care the men would have the best chance of recovery. It was important that he talk to them. Getting to know about your enemy was a sure way of learning their weaknesses which was key to defeating them. The boy also was important, Buddha had sent him for a reason and Katsumoto knew that it would be of the utmost importance to find out why.

He returned to his sister's home later that day to make sure that the men were getting their wounds looked after, but when he opened the door to the room the boy currently inhabited he was shocked. The person laying on the futon being tended to was a woman. Katsumoto couldn't believe his eye. She was pale as the snow atop Mount Fuji with pink lips and thick sooty lashes. Long chestnut colored hair lay in glorious waves around her all the way down to her hips. Taka had removed her shirt to get to the wound at her shoulder and he noticed her chest had been bound to make her seem more like a man. How had he not noticed before? The woman's face had been far too feminine to belong to a boy and she'd been so tiny. Taka looked up to meet his eyes and gave a faint smile. Katsumoto nodded and looked to the wound Taka was currently stitching, it was jagged and red, but it was no longer bleeding, and the one on her side was already stitched and bandaged. Katsumoto noticed her bag lying next to the door. There was a strange brown strap sticking out of the top of it and he couldn't help himself, he pulled on the brown strap and an oddly beautiful bag slid out. It was beaded with reds and yellows and blues on a material made out of some kind of animal skin. He flipped the bag open and pulled out a leather bound book with drawings etched on the front. What can this be? He thought. What an unusual woman she is he thought looking at her once again. She looked so young and helpless laying there, how could this small girl have fought the best samurai in his force and held them back so effortlessly, surely this could not be. After telling his sister to let no one see her, he rose from the floor, bag in hand and when back to the temple to pray for guidance.


	17. Sleeping and Waking

**Hi sorry for the LONG wait I've been on vacation and am now back at college so I should be updating more frequently. Hope this chapter suites you and thanks so much for reading!**

Chapter 16

**Katsumoto's POV**

Katsumoto spent quite a while praying to Buddha for answers that did not come. Every time he cleared his mind the child's ethereal face would appear before his eyes and he would find himself wondering who she was. At times these musings would take such a hold over him that Katsumoto found himself wondering up the path to Taka's home without remembering when he left the temple. He would convince himself that since he had gone this far already he may as well see to the gaijins' wounds. He would always check on the man's health first and then, as if he was being pulled by some mysterious force, he would slid open the door of her room and kneel by her side. Katsumoto knew that being in a room alone with a woman who was not family was dishonorable, but he simply could not keep himself from her. He did make sure however that he kept a respectable distance and was careful not to touch her, always calling for Taka to show him how the wounds where healing. After he had made sure of her continued healing, he would gaze upon her and wonder what name would have been given to a creature of such beauty. The only western female name he knew was Victoria, the name of the English queen, but he did not care for that name nor could he pronounce it.

The first night of their stay in the village, Taka had come to him and told him that the man had night terrors that would have him screaming into the night which was scaring his nephews. Katsumoto felt guilty that he could give his sister no answer that would be of real help. A week later she came again to the temple to tell him that the man had asked for sake and Nobutada had allowed him to drink though she was against it. Taka said the drink only makes his dreams more violent and Katsumoto and told his sister that since the westerners where in her house the decisions about their well being were up to her. Though the man caught a fever and was only now getting over it, his dreams seemed to be less severe or at least more manageable. After these last weeks of care Katsumoto believed they should be waking up anytime.

**Ariel's POV**

Ariel woke slowly. She remembered vaguely where she was and how she got there, but the thing she recalled the clearest was the earth shattering pain. It took her only a moment to realize that that pain was considerably more manageable. Even so, Ariel sat up gingerly and looked around. Where was Nathan? The must have been her for quite a while considering how well her injuries were healing.

She noticed her hair was loose and spilling around her shoulders. Oh no, she thought, they knew she was a woman. What would happen know? She knelt and went to retrieve her bag, pulling out one of the dresses and some under garments, she went to change. Standing was a difficult process as her wounds protested and so did her weary limbs, but she managed. Just as she was about to take off the kimono she was wrapped in she realized just how badly she smelled. She could feel the sweat and dirt caking her skin and grimaced. Was there somewhere to bathe around here? She crept to the door and slid it open walking out into the main room and beyond to the front or back of the house, she couldn't tell which. Peeking her head around the corner, she saw an old man standing in the doorway silhouetted by the silent village, so she moved back off through the house to what she now understood to be the back door and stepped out into the night.

Ariel decided that she would at least look for a river or something to wash in since she hadn't seen a bath when she was walking through the house. She had seen Nathan though, which was a great relief. They were both injured or she might have considered making a run for it. For now they would stay in this place, until they were well enough to get away that is. As luck would have it Ariel did stumble across a hot spring. In fact she tripped and almost fell into it. She disrobed quickly and slipped into the steaming water making sure to dip her hair under as well. She was thankful that her hair soap was still in her bag, though it seemed like her Sioux bag full of journals had fallen out. It grieved her that she had lost the only thing she had left of her friends from the tribe, but she knew that she didn't really need it to help her remember. She scrubbed her body and hair thoroughly and then got out and dressed. She struggled with the corset strings for quite a while but eventually she got them tight enough, then she put on the dress and headed back to the house.

That night when everyone was still sleeping she moved her things to Nathan's room. She swept her hair up into an elaborate style and sat down next to Nathan to think. He was her only friend now…again. That time she thought she lost Zeb had been like this too, but now she knew there was no hope he would ever come back. No more silly jokes and loud laughter. No more Zeb. She cried silently until the sun rose. About an hour after she had gotten herself under control, she heard the first movements coming from the other room. Footsteps padded along the floor in a room across the hall; most likely the person was getting ready to greet the day. Ariel waited, listening intently for the door to slid open and the person to check on Nathan. They were in for a surprise.


End file.
